Juanita Mills Zaleski was born December 10, 1914 in West Newton, Pennsylvania. Zaleski graduated from West Virginia University in 1955 with a bachelor of science degree. She continued her education at Southern Illinois University and received a master of science in 1961 and a master of art in 1967. She began work on a doctor of philosphy in 1967 at Southern Illinois university, but retired in 1974 before it was completed. While receiving her education at Southern Illinois, Zaleski also worked as a lecturer, assistant dean of women, and a member of the administrative staff for SIU.

Zaleski has been published numerous times, her most famous being her novel Dreams and Scars in 1951. She was married to Joseph F. Zaleski, who also worked at Southern Illinois University until his death in 1972. They had two children, Charles and Joseph R. Zaleski. Juanita Zaleski died on August 18, 1994.